Ukraine Watch...

[adam2]

Ukraine's about to be sold down the river...

I fear so.

If only they had joined NATO ! I foresee a rush to join NATO, from other countries on the border between russia and the free world.

[BritDownUnder]

I am not really sure that Ukraine had an opportunity to join NATO. Before 2014 they were ruled by a pro-Russian government that would not have entertained that possibility. After that they started getting invaded.

I favour just giving them tactical nukes and NATO membership now.

I don't think there are all that many countries that border Russia that could be invaded - Moldova possibly but the Russians only have 1500 soldiers in Transnistria right now. Georgia is run by pro-Russian parties and they are the only ones in Europe that are left. Azerbaijan is a possibility but Russia has enough problems in the Caucasus already to be adding more.

I would expect Russia to seize the Northern part of Kazakhstan before the Russian population in that region die off and get outbred by the local Kazakhs. Mongolia is another prospect that could be divided between Russia and China but I expect they are arguing at the moment about who gets what.

[Ralphw2]

UK reports that Russia suffered 45,000 killed or injured in October alone. Putin is clearly in A big push to get as much territory this year as possible, because he expects Trump to force Ukraine into a ceasefire very soon.

There is no way that Russia could sustain these casualties for more than a few months if the US continues or increases it's support for Ukraine.

[UndercoverElephant]

Ukraine's about to be sold down the river...

I fear so.

If only they had joined NATO ! I foresee a rush to join NATO, from other countries on the border between russia and the free world.

Are there any?

[invalid]

UK reports that Russia suffered 45,000 killed or injured in October alone. Putin is clearly in A big push to get as much territory this year as possible, because he expects Trump to force Ukraine into a ceasefire very soon.

There is no way that Russia could sustain these casualties for more than a few months if the US continues or increases it's support for Ukraine.

Well, that's a completely unbiased and reliable source you've got there.

[Mark]

Well, that's a completely unbiased and reliable source you've got there.

Surprised it's taken you so long to slither on here after Trump's victory....
The bodies continue to pile up....., has the Special Military Operation been worth it ?

[BritDownUnder]

Well, that's a completely unbiased and reliable source you've got there.

Surprised it's taken you so long to slither on here after Trump's victory....
The bodies continue to pile up....., has the Special Military Operation been worth it ?

In terms of WW2 level of casualties the Russians have just gotten started. In their "Victory" Museum in Moscow they have phone book size books of the casualties list they incurred during WW2 as the walls were no big enough. Unlike the pro-Russian posters on this site I have actually been to the place. There is some statistic that of Russian males born in 1923, three fifths were dead by 1945 which is a pretty serious mortality rate for 22 year olds.

I favour another few years of this to keep up the pressure on Russia and test weapons but I am not surprised that Trump wants to quit as Europe has ridden on the coat tails of American military help for so long the Americans have driven themselves bust paying for it all. After all the UK got little thanks and no trade perks from De Gaulle and Adenauer for helping Europe the last time they were threatened. The UK cannot do it on their own anymore.

Here's a nice quote from the Parliament website.

The UK had a trade deficit with the EU of £95 billion in 2023

So the EU has 95bn GPB of the UK's more in one year. One has to wonder where all this money went. Good thing the UK got back 80bn GBP from the ROTW but it still means 15bn GBP went somewhere and not all to helping Ukraine.

One can only wonder how many trillions of pounds have gone to the EU from the UK over 40 years of trade imbalances.

[clv101]

One can only wonder how many trillions of pounds have gone to the EU from the UK over 40 years of trade imbalances.

Presumably we received a few BMWs, Audis and Renaults, wine, cheese and salami in return?

[BritDownUnder]

One can only wonder how many trillions of pounds have gone to the EU from the UK over 40 years of trade imbalances.

Presumably we received a few BMWs, Audis and Renaults, wine, cheese and salami in return?

Hopefully also some machine tools and manufacturing equipment as well as the mainly luxury items listed above.

A trade imbalance is a very pernicious thing draining the very life out of the country. It was one of the factors in undermining the Roman Empire - their import of silk from the East.

[Ralphw2]

It is a week since the US election now, and we have had long enough to see what Putin's reaction has been. Trump aids claimed that he had spoken to Putin post election, but Russian officially denied this. So one side or other is being blatantly dishonest, which is what we would expect. On the ground, Russian forces seem to be going all out in both Kursk and near Povrosk, so clearly the order has been to make ground at all costs, presumably because Putin wants as much ground as possible come January ehen he hopes Trump will force a ceasefire on Ukraine, and the visible costs have been extremely high even by Russian standards. Several large armoured attacks have been filmed advancing over open ground on metaled roads towards key targets, and get met by land mines, massive artillery, drone and tank fire which stops the attackers in their tracks, and evidently very heavy casualties. The rate of advance has not increased because of the mud season preventing anything other than suicide missions on the ground. The main advantage of the North Korean troops seem to be that they don't speak Russian, and therefore can be sent to their near certain deaths with much less chance of refusal.

[invalid]

Ralph that is completely false and misleading. And I presume you know better. Kurakhove and Kupiansk are currently being overrun. The pace of advance (1200 sq km since August) continues to be high. Do you ever watch videos of Ukrainian losses?

[Mark]

Of course there are losses on both sides - it's a war (not a Special Military Operation)
However, Russia's poorer equipment and tactics mean that their losses are on a far greater scale...
Also, Russia doesn't respect her people, so is happy to sacrifice large numbers in return for a few square meters...

[invalid]

Looks like Ukraine got hit with some pretty heavy special-shovel types last night. Of course, with Ukraine's superior equipment, tactics, and personnel no damage will have been done.

[Mark]

You must be very proud - bombing innocent civilians in a formerly peaceful neighbour

[invalid]

Don't worry, Russia is about to run out of arms, erm, any day now... We're sure, right?